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12-08-13

THE WORK OF THE LORD, AND, THE JUDGMENT OF THE LORD

This message may be viewed live streaming video at www.tabernacleofmoses.org commencing today Sunday at 11:00am, and repeated 24/7 for one week; thereafter, the audio and notes without video are archived.

(Isa 40:3-5)  The voice of him [the John the Baptist company: Mat 3:1-3] that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert [of your heart] a highway for our God [to enter]. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed [“the glory which shall be revealed in us” Rom 8:18], and all flesh [“mankind” NIV] shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

1.      Commentary: the latter description of the “process” of preparing the way of the LORD is an Old Testament physical type and shadow of the New Testament spiritual work of the great carpenter Jesus Christ in us, for we are “the trees of the field” (9x) being “transformed” (Rom 12:2) into the 48 priest-boards of the tabernacle of Moses.

2.      Commentary Digression: However, the phrase “the tabernacle of Moses” does not appear in the Bible. The conventional Christian designation of “the tabernacle of Moses” is an incorrect title (name, label, appellation) of an edifice, a structure, in fact an actively rising (Ezek 37:1-14) initially horizontal living building that should most properly be named “the tabernacle of God” (Rev 21:3). Thus, as “kings and priests” (Rev 1:6; 5:10), and with upraised holy hands, we shall reign forever and ever, serving (being) the Tabernacle of God.

3.      (Psa 127:1)  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep [Heb: guard; protect] the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

4.      (Rev 1:7)  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

(Mat 3:1-3)  In those days came John the Baptist [we are the John the Baptist company], preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye [Gk: to think differently, i.e. reconsider]: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [How close to you is your hand? How close to you is the kingdom of heaven?]. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah [Isa 40:3-5], saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

1.      Commentary: We who are saved and born-again are the John the Baptist company crying (preaching) in the wilderness of this world for the unsaved to “repent” (be saved) and “Prepare ye the way of the Lord” (be sanctified) until He comes again the second time.

(Luke 19:11-14)  And as they heard these things, he [Jesus] added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman [Jesus speaking of Himself] went into a far country [Acts 1:9] to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return [Acts 1:11]. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds [Gk: a certain weight], and said unto them, Occupy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

1.      (Mat 11:30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

2.      occupy = Gk: to busy oneself with, i.e. to trade /// a deed: business, work /// to "practice", i.e. perform repeatedly or habitually.

3.      (Luke 2:49)  And he [Jesus at 12 years old] said unto them [Mary and Joseph], How is it that ye sought me? wist [Gk: understand] ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

(Luke 19:15)  And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom [at the beginning of the thousand year millennium; “the first resurrection” Rev 20:5], then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money [Gk: (i.e. drachma or shekel): silver], that he might know how much every man had gained by trading [Gk: to thoroughly occupy oneself, to earn in business:--gain by trading].

1.      Commentary: silver is the metal biblically symbolizing redemption (salvation).

2.      (Exo 30:11-16)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom [Heb: a cover; fig. a redemption-price] for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel [Heb: a weight] after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

a.       ransom = Heb: a cover, i.e. (lit.) a village (as covered in); (spec.) bitumen (as used for coating), and the henna plant (as used for dyeing); fig. a redemption-price:--bribe, camphire, pitch, ransom, satisfaction, sum of money.

b.      atonement = Heb: to cover; fig. to condone, to placate or cancel:--appease, make (an) atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge away, put off, make reconciliation.

AUTHORITY

(Luke 19:16-19)  Then came the first [servant], saying, Lord, thy pound [i.e., weight, burden of salvation] hath gained ten pounds [ten salvations]. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also [in authority] over five cities.

(Luke 19:20,21)  And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up [Gk: to be reserved] in a napkin: For I feared thee, because thou art an austere [Gk: rough, severe] man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow [and you are a thief].

1.      napkin = Gk: (sweat-cloth), i.e. towel (for wiping the perspiration from the face, or binding the face of a corpse):--handkerchief, napkin.

2.      Commentary: a “napkin” is mentioned two other times in the Bible. The dead but resurrected Lazarus came forth from the grave with his face “bound about with a napkin” (John 11:44), “And the napkin, that was about his head [about the dead head of Jesus was], not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.” In all three cases, the “napkin” is associated with death.

3.      (James 1:22-25)  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass [Gk: mirror]: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE

(Luke 19:22,23)  And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: Wherefore then gavest not thou my money [Gk: silver] into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury [Gk: interest]?

1.      Commentary: this “wicked servant” proved himself to be a citizen rather than a servant by disobeying his master in both the spiritual realm and the secular realm, and he would “not have this man to reign” over him. Thus, by allowing no authority to reign over him, he would exercise no authority in the kingdom, and in fact, he would be exorcised from it.

(Luke 19:24-27)  And he said unto them that stood by [His servants], Take from him the pound [the Good News of salvation], and give it to him that hath ten pounds [i.e., the hardest working servant]. (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.) [said of he whose work was apparent to all]. For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath [understanding] shall be given [more understanding]; and from him that hath not [understanding], even that [understanding (acquired via the way side, stony ground, and among thorns), i.e., they bear no fruit for the Lord; no fruit for Him, no fruit for them] he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign [have authority] over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

Amen